Trouble With Never
by Ehani
Summary: Power Rangers&Mutant X Crossover. Kim has left her past behind. She has a new life working with Mutant X. Now, one message is about to change everything...
1. Trouble With Never

Trouble With Never

A/N: This is a crossover between Mutant X and Power Rangers. It's main characters are mostly Mutant X but it deals with a lot of Power Rangers related issues. All Rangers up through Dino Thunder will be mentioned or referred to throughout the story. It is set sometime in the third season of Mutant X, before Adam came back. Rating is for one or two bad words.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't sue.

Summary: Kimberly Harte, former pink power ranger has left that part of her past behind her. Now, working as a team member for the secretive Mutant X, she is happy with her life. When a message from an old friend tells her that she's the only ranger left, what will Kim do? Will she go out of her way to help the past she's left behind? Will her new team help her?

Chapter One: Trouble With Never  
  
---Angelgrove, California 10:00 pm, Friday, October 1---  
  
The man couldn't have been more than thirty, but he looked two times that. His clothes were wrinkled and his blonde hair looked like it hadn't been properly combed in days. His face was unshaven and his eyes were wide and fearful as he hurriedly typed on his computer. Hitting a button the man began to speak into the camera. There was a banging on the door and a loud crash as it burst open. Ugly looking creatures each stood six feet high with long, pointed fingers and sharp teeth. The man glanced at them quickly then looked back at the camera and ended his communications.  
  
"I hope this reaches you in time." He then turned and prepared to fight.  
  
---Las Angeles, 10:00 pm, Saturday, October 2---  
  
"Come on. One drink," Lexa Pierce glanced at her teammate, "We have to keep up appearances." Kimberly Harte sighed and signaled to the bartender. Lexa smiled slightly. The last time the team had gone out Kim had gotten thoroughly drunk and made a pass at every thing on two legs. Though the rest of them had found it hilarious Kim didn't see the humor in it. As a result she swore off alcohol.  
  
"Fine, but just one," Kim grumbled as she ordered, "And I'm only doing this for the sake of the mission."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Lexa glanced around, "Jesse," she spoke into the comm link, "Where's our guy?"  
  
"He should be there by now," Jesse replied via the link.  
  
"Maybe he figured out what was on the disk and skipped out. Big profit if you know what I mean," Kim offered as she sipped her drink.  
  
"Let's hope not. Information like that in the wrong hands would be disastrous," Jesse said.  
  
"What's on the disk anyway?" Lexa asked as she continued to scan the bar.  
  
"I'm not sure exactly. Supposedly there's information to access some great power source." Kim choked on her drink.  
  
"Power source?" she squeaked.  
  
"Yeah, well, that's what the rumors say. We won't know until we get it."  
  
Lexa set down her drink and stood up. She was looking at the newest person to walk through the door. An older guy in his late thirties, mossy brown hair, standing tall at a good 6 feet. A definite lady killer.  
  
"Show time."  
  
"You know, if I were into older guys and he wasn't on your hit list, I might actually consider dating him," Kim grinned at the scowl Lexa shot her.  
  
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." They were now right behind the guy, Bill Cooper. He owned one of the chief funding companies for Genomex when it was still active. Not a nice man. He used his pull and money to get him everywhere. He was also the one who provided the expenses to fund the experimentation on Lexa's brother. He was here to do an exchange between him and some other creep. Said creep never got the message he sent, though. Thanks to a little interference from Mutant X.  
  
"Bill Cooper. Long time, no see," Lexa said icily. The man spun around.  
  
"Why, Ms. Pierce. It has been a while. I'm so sorry to hear about your brother." He started as Lexa grab his throat.  
  
"Don't you dare talk about him," she hissed. People started to turn and look at the three of them. A bouncer was making his way through the ever growing crowd.  
  
"Perhaps," Kim said laying her hand on Lexa's arm, "We should take this outside." Kim indicated the people watching and the approaching bouncer. Lexa's grip moved to Cooper's arm.  
  
"I'm here for a very important business meeting. I don't have time for petty grudges," with that he tried to pull away but Lexa just tightened her grip. Kim grabbed his other arm and they began to lead him to the door.  
  
"Oh, I think you can make time," Kim told him as they stepped into the night. They led him around the bar into the back alleyway, away from prying eyes.  
  
"I demand that you let me go this instant!" His eyes darted nervously around.  
  
"No. Hand over the disk and I might not kill you," Lexa spat.  
  
"I d..don't know w..what you're t...t...talking about," Cooper stuttered out. This time it was Kim who got in his face.  
  
"You know exactly what we're talking about."  
  
"I...I'm warning you. I have friends..."  
  
"Oh really? Well where are your friends now?" Lexa shoved him against the wall, "The disk." She ripped light out of her hands, hitting a near by garbage can causing it to burst into flames. "You better think carefully because that'll be your head if I don't like the answer."  
  
"H...here! Take it!" The man reached into his pocket and Lexa realized to late what was happening. The gun shot rang out into the night. Before the man could so much as turn his head he was frozen solid.  
  
"Lexa!" Kim ran to her now kneeling friend.  
  
"Stupid," Lexa muttered, "That was stupid. I should've known he would be armed," she glanced at her friend. "I'm ok. Really. It just hit my arm."  
  
"Just your arm," Kim shook her head, "Only you Lexa...let me see." She gently lifted Lexa's arm before she could protest. "Yep it hit your arm alright. Come on." She helped Lexa up, "Jesse you there?"  
  
"Yeah. What's the status?"  
  
"Cooper's dead. Lexa's shot." She dug into the frozen man's pocket. "We have the disk. Did I miss anything?"  
  
"Wait, Lexa's shot? Is she okay?"  
  
"I'm fine Jess."  
  
"We're heading back to the Helix now," Kim told him as she and Lexa exited the alleyway and came onto the noisy streets of L.A. "We'll be there in about half an hour."  
  
"Alright. I'll have the medical bay ready. Where's the bullet at?"  
  
"Left arm. It doesn't look too deep." Kim responded.  
  
"Fine. We'll be ready. And for god's sakes, be careful."  
  
"We're always careful." There wasn't an answer and Kim didn't expect one. "Come on."  
  
They were half way across the overgrown field, making there way to where they had left the Helix when Lexa let out a startled gasp. There standing not 20 feet in front of them were 10 of the ugliest creatures that they'd ever seen. And for Kim, that was saying something.  
  
"Those weren't there a second ago." Lexa and Kim stopped dead. Out of thin air another creature appeared. This one was taller than the others and more humanoid. There was an intelligence about him, they assumed it was a him, that the others didn't possess. In his right hand he carried a long sword. Lexa gulped, "Neither was he."  
  
All Kim could do was stare. These things reminded her so much of the putties she used to fight it was scary. She glanced at the brunette standing next to her. Lexa was never scared. She never lost her cool, or, if she did, it didn't show. Now the molecular was totally beyond cool. She was freaked out. Then again, Kim didn't really blame her. It wasn't everyday that things materialized right out of thin air. Okay, she amended, it wasn't everyday that disgusting creatures that should only exist in nightmares materialized out of thin air.  
  
"We have to get by them. The Helix is just on the other side." Kim kept her voice low. The creatures hadn't moved yet and she wasn't about to provoke them to.  
  
"What are they?" Lexa whispered. She was shaking. Whether from fear or blood loss Kim couldn't tell.  
  
"I don't know. I'll hazard a guess and say that they're not on our side though. Can you make to the Helix?" Kim looked at her friend in concern.  
  
"It's not my legs that won't work," Lexa snapped, "And I'm not leaving you here by yourself."  
  
"You're in no shape to fight." Seeing Lexa about to protest Kim continued, "Get to the Helix and it bring over here. I can hold them off for a bit. You can get through without being seen."  
  
"I can get you through too," she insisted.  
  
"Look, we both know that you don't have the energy for that. Just go. Quickly." Kim saw it in Lexa's eyes when she gave in. Suddenly the molecular was gone. Kim surveyed the scene before her.  
  
"Time to kick ass." As if on cue, the things rushed at her. Kim waved her hands and fire erupted in front of her. The creatures walked right through it. "Great," she muttered. Obviously her thermal abilities weren't going to be any help.  
  
"You will come quietly or we will force you to come," The being in charge hissed as it stepped through the flames. It's voice was like poison oozing into her blood. It made all of Kim's hair stand on end.  
  
"Uh, can I take a rain check? I really don't have time. Busy schedule and all." Kim backed away from him. She lifted her arms and this time an icy cold blast came out. All of the creatures froze in their step. Kim sighed in relief. Her joy was short lived however. Not 30 seconds after the ice had appeared it was gone, absorbed into their bodies. "Crap. Now would be good time Lexa." The former pink ranger continued to back away.  
  
"Give me a minute. Flying one handed isn't as easy as it looks."  
  
"You've got about 20 seconds. My powers are doing nothing to these guys." There was silence, "Lexa?"  
  
"Coming up behind you."  
  
Kim whirled around as the Helix appeared about 20 feet away. She ran at a full out sprint very aware of the creatures following. One of them leapt into and landed two steps in front of her. Kim dodged a blow and retaliated with a kick. Her foot landed right where the creatures stomach should have been. It felt like kicking a brick wall. A very hard and painful brick wall. The creature reached for her and Kim hit the ground rolling until she was well out of reach. Jumping up she ran the rest of the distance to the jet.  
  
"Lexa, open up." The door opened, Kim jumped in, and it slammed behind her. There was a thud as something very heavy hit the other side. Groaning, Kim made her way over to the main controls that Lexa sat behind. "Move." The other girl complied. Strapping herself into another seat. "Hang on." And with those words, they were gone.  
  
---Sanctuary, 11:15 pm, Saturday, October 2---  
  
Jesse Kilmartin hurried through the corridor towards the lab. His mind was working fast as he tried to comprehend the news he had just received. He passed by the dojo where Brennan Mulwray and Shalimar Fox, the remaining members of Mutant X, were having a friendly sparring match.  
  
"Hey, what's the rush?" Shalimar abandoned her goal of kicking Brennan's butt when she saw Jesse.  
  
"Have you heard from Lexa or Kim yet?" Jesse glanced at them.  
  
"They got the disk but Lexa was shot in process," Jesse explained before continuing to the lab. With a quick look at each other, the two mutants followed him.  
  
"Lexa got shot? Is she ok?" Shalimar asked as Jesse sat down at the computer.  
  
"Yeah, it hit her left arm. We need to get a doctor here as soon as possible," Jesse told them.  
  
"I'm on it." Brennan pulled out his phone and began to dial the number of the doctor that usually helped them.  
  
"What are you doing?" The feral was staring at the screen that now held a picture of an ugly creature, "What is that?"  
  
"That is what attacked Kimberly and Lexa before they could reach the Helix. As for what it is exactly, I don't know. From the looks of it though, this isn't the first time they've appeared. Apparently there have been sightings all around the globe." There were different newspaper articles displayed on the screen.  
"So what do they want with us?" Brennan asked as he walked up behind them, "Doc will be here in 15 minutes."  
  
"I'm not so sure it's us they want. Look, after every sighting a person has disappeared. I think that these things are responsible for that," Jesse rubbed his eyes. It was way too late to be dealing with something like this. Unfortunately, according to Kim, it couldn't wait.  
  
"Do the people have anything in common?" Shalimar asked. Before Jesse could answer an alarm sounded. Words flashed on the computer screen.  
  
"I thought we got rid of that thing," Brennan glared at the sound. Jesse shrugged.  
  
"It only happens when we don't know who's sending the message."  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for? Play it," Shalimar urged. Jesse hit a few buttons and a man appeared on the screen. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. The hopelessness in his eyes took the mutants aback. His voice was rough and shook with fear.  
  
"Kimberly, I don't know if this will reach you in time. Things are happening. Things that even I can't explain. Everyone's gone. They've been taken. All of them. We're some of the only ones left. Trini, Zack, Jason, they're gone. Get somewhere safe. Somewhere that they can't find you. No one knows who's behind this."  
  
The mutants who were watching heard a bang. They saw the man glance towards away from the camera then back again. There was a fierce determination in his eyes that hadn't been there before.  
  
"I hope this reaches you in time." With that the communication was cut off. There was silence as the members of Mutant X processed this new information.  
  
"Apparently they do," Jesse answered Shalimar's previous question.  
  
"So these things are after Kim?" Brennan shook his head, "Who was that guy? Friend of hers? I'm so lost man."  
  
"I guess we won't know more until we talk to Kim." Jesse glanced up, "They'll be here any minute along with Dr. Robinson." Shalimar looked over her shoulder.  
  
"The doctor just walked in and Lexa and Kim are docking the Helix in the hangar bay."  
  
"Sometimes those senses of yours are just creepy," Brennan grinned at the feral.  
  
"Yeah, and sometimes they save our lives," Shalimar smiled to take the sting out of her words. Kimberly and Lexa chose that moment to come into the room. Kim helped Lexa over to the medical chair. Lexa laid back on it immediately.  
  
"Hey, you two ok?" Jesse asked as he come to stand by Lexa.  
  
"Do I look ok?" Lexa snapped.  
  
"Yep," Brennan said, "She'll be fine." Dr. Robinson walked in to a chorus of greetings. For her part, she ordered all of them except Jesse out of the lab so she could remove the bullet. Brennan, Shalimar, and Kim left hastily not wanting on the good doctor's bad side.  
  
"You look beat. Are you sure you're not hurt?" Shalimar looked the newest member of their team over.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just bruised and scratched." Kim replied, yawning.  
  
"Why don't we head to bed? Not much we can do here and it's been a long day." Brennan suggested, "We'll talk in the morning."  
  
"No complaints here," Kim muttered as she slowly made her way to her room. Once in there she promptly fell into bed not bothering to change and stopping only long enough to remove her shoes. Within minutes she was sound asleep.  
  
---Location Unknown, Time Unknown---  
  
"What do you mean she got away?" A voice from the shadows hissed. The words were laced in a fury so great it was almost tangible.  
  
"My King, there was a person with her. They had powers," The creature was on its knees with its head bowed in submission.  
  
"Another ranger, interesting. I thought she was the last," The shadowy figure mused.  
  
"Not a ranger, my Lord. They didn't hold ranger powers. It was different. The girl with her turned invisible and the former ranger conjured fire and ice."  
  
"I see. Not ranger powers. Hmmm, this is interesting. It seems that we may have another enemy to deal with. But first, the girl. You will find her and bring her to me. Then I will be able to deal with what ever may cross my path without even the batting of an eye. Do not fail me again. I may not be so forgiving the next time."  
  
"Y...yes, my King."  
  
"Dismissed. Get out of my sight." With a final bow the creature scurried away, blending into the shadows as it moved. "This should prove to be quite entertaining. I always love a good game of cat and mouse." The shadowy King chuckled, a sound that made even the foulest being shake it stood. He would get what he wanted. And he would get it on his terms and no one else's, powers or not. The world would never know what hit them.  
  
---Sanctuary, 9:30 am, Sunday, October 3---  
  
Brennan made his way through the halls of Sanctuary looking for the entire world like he was still asleep. His destination was the kitchen and a hot cup of steaming coffee. Having accomplished his goal, Brennan headed towards the Dojo for an early morning workout. As he passed the Lab, the elemental caught a glimpse of blonde hair bent over a table. Backtracking and entering the lab, he found Jesse with his head bent over a microscope.  
  
"You haven't been up all night have you?" Brennan looked worriedly at his friend.  
  
"No. Just got up an hour ago. Couldn't sleep. Decided to take a look at some samples from those creatures," he gestured at the microscope.  
  
"When did we get samples? I thought they just barely got away as it was," Brennan asked, confused.  
  
"They did. And the samples came from the side of the Helix where one of the creatures impaled themselves into the door." Jesse returned his attention to the substance he was studying.  
  
"So do you know what they are?"  
  
"Not a clue. I have no idea what this stuff's even made of. It's nothing I've seen before," he sighed, frustrated. Brennan grinned.  
  
"So there is something you don't know."  
  
"Ha ha. Very funny. But really, I should atleast recognize something."  
  
"Don't sweat it man," Brennan said, seeing that his friend was really beating himself up, "Maybe Kim can shed some insight on it."  
  
"Yeah, maybe. You know, I always knew there was something she wasn't telling us, but I figured it wasn't important. Between her and Lexa it's a wonder we ever know what's going on."  
  
"What's going on?" Kim asked as Shalimar and she entered the lab. They both sported twin mugs of smoking coffee.  
  
"No idea," Brennan replied, "You might know though." Kim shot him a confused look.  
  
"I might know what?"  
  
"You received a transmission last night," Jesse told her.  
  
"From who?"  
  
"That's just it, we don't know. We hoped you would. Not only did this person know where to find you but they also got passed all of Sanctuary's defenses to send the message. So unless you gave out the codes..."  
  
"No. Of course not," Kim replied a bit defensively, "I wouldn't do that."  
  
"Do you know someone who could bypass all of the security measures?" Shalimar asked her friend.  
  
"No...well, there is one person, but he left a long time ago," Kim informed them thoughtfully.  
  
"Who left a long time ago?" Lexa asked as she strode into the lab. Her left arm was bandaged and held in a sling.  
  
"Friend of Kim's who can hack into Sanctuary. Shouldn't you be in bed?" Lexa shot the feral a look.  
  
"Someone hacked into Sanctuary?"  
  
"No. No one hacked into Sanctuary. I got a message. That's all. Now, can I please see this transmission that has you guys so bent out of shape? I'm sure you're all overreacting," the former pink ranger informed her team. Jesse hit some buttons and she looked at the screen as a man appeared. If the identity of the man came as a shock, then his message was a complete and total blow away. After the message ended, Kimberly had gone a deathly pale and sunk into the nearest chair.  
  
"Hey, you ok?" Shalimar reached to offer comfort to her friend.  
  
"I never...oh God. Billy. This can't be happening," Kim continued to mutter to herself with the others catching random words here and there. Finally Lexa spoke up.  
  
"So those things last night, they were after you?" When she got a shaky nod in return, the rest of the team let out a breath.  
  
"Why? Did you know that guy? What was he talking about? Who was he talking about?" Brennan fired a string of questions at the pale women.  
  
"The man's name is Billy. He...he and I go way back. I'm not sure what exactly he was talking about, but...but I have good idea what it might have to do with," Kim lifted her head out of her hands to look at the people she now called her team. The people who she trusted to watch her back. Just like the team she had all those years ago. The team that was now, apparently, gone.  
  
"Why do those things what you, Kim? What do you and all the other people they've taken have in common?" Jesse asked gently. It was clear that this was a very emotional subject for the young women.  
  
"Me...all the people, they want us, the best I can gather, is because we're all current or former Power Rangers." Silence echoed, bouncing off the walls that were Sanctuary's limits. Not being able to bear it for any longer Kim continued, "I never thought that I would be dragged back into all of that again. Not after I gave up my powers to Katherine. I thought that it was behind me. Then Zordon died and wiped out all the evil. Everyone thought that that was the end of it. Of course, it wasn't. But every time a new evil came another Power Ranger team would appear to fight it. I never thought I'd have to deal with it again," She abruptly shut her mouth when she realized she was rambling. Shalimar was the first to speak.  
  
"What are Power Rangers?" At this Kim let out a shaky laugh.  
  
"You don't even know what on Earth I'm talking about do you?"  
  
"Shalimar may have never heard of the Power Rangers, but I have." There were nods of confirmation from Jesse and Brennan.  
  
"Always thought they were a scam or something though. You know, to get people to visit their city," the latter put in.  
  
"No, they are...were very real. Now though...I don't know. If what Billy said was true, then I'm the only one left." Kim replied.  
  
"Left in the sense that you weren't captured by those creatures you mean," Jesse offered. He was typing away on his computer. Seconds later a bunch of pictures popped up. "The Power Rangers. Protectors of the city of Angelgrove," he read off the screen. There were pictures of five different teams displayed on the screen.  
  
"There's so many, what are they wearing?" Shalimar asked, "They look like they stepped out of a rainbow or something. No offense," the feral added. Kim laughed a bit.  
  
"None taken. There's so many because once one team lost their powers they had to get new ones or a new team was called all together. The latter is what happens now. Angelgrove isn't the only city attacked anymore. There are others. I think the most recent was somewhere called Reefside. I don't know though. I've sort of lost track over time."  
  
"So, let me get this straight. You were a part of a team of superheroes who fought evil on a daily basis. Now said evil wants you and the rest of the Power Rangers for reasons we've yet to figure out and has sent its minions to capture you, you being supposedly the only one who has yet to be caught," Lexa looked around at the rest of Mutant X, "And I thought my past catching up to me would be bad."  
  
"I never thought I would ever have to deal with this again," Kim sighed. Lexa smiled slightly,  
  
"That's the trouble with never; it never seems to work out the way we want it to."


	2. Never Give Up Hope

A/N: Chapter Two is here! Yay! I hope to update once a week. Maybe more maybe less, it depends. I am open to ideas and suggestions, as I'm always thinking up new ones of my own. This story sort of develops as it goes along so if you know where it's going and what's going to happen, Kudos to you! I don't. Not really. I have a vague idea. So anyways, comments and suggestions welcome.  
  
Disclaimer: Anything you recognize is not mine. Anything you don't, a.k.a. The Shadow King, Shades, Crawlers, etc., mine. No money has been made.   
  
Chapter Two: Never Give Up Hope   
  
---Sanctuary, 11:30 am, Sunday, October 3---  
  
Kim sighed as she lay on her bed. She had left shortly after explaining to the rest of Mutant X what she knew. They were taking it better than she had expected; better than they had any right to. Kim had always imagined that when telling her most guarded secret, her history as a Power Ranger, it would be to someone she was deeply in love with. He would tell her his most guarded secret and in return she would oblige him with hers. Funny how that worked out. Instead, she was faced with telling her new team about her old team whom were apparently gone. Yeah, great.  
  
What Billy said was true. As far as she could tell anyways. Far be it for her to have actually kept up with ranger happenings. She had called up everyone she still had a number for. No one answered. Kim had Jesse get a list of all the missing people that had disappeared in concurrence with the creature attacks. She saw all of her former teammates on the list, and then some. There were so many. She hadn't realized the extent of the Power Ranger legacy until now. It was kind of sad really. That all the good that they had done, all the evil they'd fought would be for nothing.  
  
No, not nothing, she decided. She would do everything in her power to get them back. She owed Zordon that much if not more. With a sigh, Kim heaved herself off her bed and walked over to the door. She needed to have a long talk with her teammates.   
  
---Location Unknown, Time Unknown---  
  
The cavern was laced in shadows. The only light came from the hole in the ceiling. Not a very big hole, only about 4 feet across in a shape that could be considered a circle. The sunlight streaming in was the only indication that the occupants had that it was daytime, that there was still a world out there. Of course, the hole was as much of a curse as it was a blessing. The rain that sometimes came would pour through it and create mud on the already dirty floor. The cavern itself left much to be desired for. There were stone formations that served as benches that ran along three of the four walls. The fourth 'wall' was made of metal bars, close enough together to prevent escape. Beyond that was another cavern was as empty as the first one had once been. All in all, the prisoners were not happy with the arrangements.  
  
"How many days has it been now?" Eric, the Quantum Ranger, removed his hands from the bars and walked back over to the group.  
  
"That depends," Tommy, former green, white, red, and the current Black Dino Ranger, replied, "For me, 15 days. Then again, I was the first one so..."  
  
"Is this everybody? I mean, are there any more rangers out there?" Kira, the newest yellow ranger, asked. She watched as some of the older rangers looked at each other uneasily. She also noticed that they looked to Dr. O before they spoke. Having also been in the first bunch caught, Kira had observed the way that all of the rangers, past and present, regarded her science teacher as the unauthorized leader.   
  
"There's only one more I believe. Kimberly, the first pink ranger. I tried to send her a warning, but I relied on her power signature alone. I managed to track her to a place that I thought I could reach her at. I don't know if she got the transmission I sent or not," Billy, former blue ranger, told the rest of the prisoners.   
  
"What does that matter? It's not like one ranger will be enough. Especially one that doesn't even have powers anymore," Eric demanded. The confining walls were making there presence known in his attitude.  
  
"It means there's hope." All the rangers, male and female, past and present, were silent.   
  
---Sanctuary, 11:45 am, Sunday, October 3---  
  
Jesse was not in a good mood. The disk that Lexa and Kim retrieved had been a total bust. There was another report that struck the mutant as odd as well. Bill Cooper, the man that the disk had been 'retrieved' from was reported missing by his family. The person in question should have been found frozen to death in an empty alleyway behind a bar in Las Angeles. Weird, but he'd seen weirder before. Jesse sighed and sat back, taking in all the information that had been thrust upon him in such a short period of time. Before he could resume his work, he heard Kim's voice over the comm link,  
  
"Hey, guys. Can I talk to you for a second?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. What's up?" That was Brennan.  
  
"In person?" There was a split second pause before four answers came back, "Thanks. The Dojo in five minutes?" There were agreements from all around and the link was broken.   
  
---Sanctuary, 11:50 am, Sunday, October 3---  
  
"So, what's the problem?" Shalimar asked when they had all arrived. Kim took a deep breath,  
  
"All of those people who were captured, the rangers, well they're my fiends. Some of them atleast. I have to do something. I can't just sit here and let whatever's got them get away with it. I understand if you don't want to help me because really, it's not your business; but I could really use you guys help."  
  
"Kim you're part of the team now. Your problems become our problems. Trust me, I've had first hand experience," Brennan told her without hesitation. The Mutant X nodded in agreement. Kim looked at them. She really hadn't expected them to help her.   
  
"Thanks," the rest was cut off by Lexa,  
  
"Don't thank us yet. We may not even be able to find your friends much less rescue them."  
  
"It's always the glass half empty with you isn't it?" Jesse looked at the molecular mutant.   
  
"Hey, someone has to be the realist here."  
  
"Alright you two," Shalimar admonished, "Does anyone know where we start? I somehow don't think that whoever...whatever's behind this is going to just surrender to us without a fight."  
  
"Kim's thermal powers didn't work on the creatures. If that holds true to the ret of us, not only would we be going in blind but defenseless as well," Lexa told the others.  
  
"First things first, we need to figure what those things were. It's easier to fight if we know what we're dealing with. I've been looking at samples that I got off the Helix. I can tell you that these things are not human. Nor have they ever been. I don't know what any of the stuff is that they're made of though. It's nothing I've seen before," Jesse shook his head, frustration apparent in his voice. He looked towards Kim, "I don't suppose you have any idea what they are?"  
  
"No," Kim titled her head to the side thoughtfully, "But I may know where we can find out. Jesse, you and Lexa stay here ...yes Lexa, here..., and keep looking at those samples. See if there's anything you missed. Shalimar, Brennan, I don't suppose you're up for a little trip?"  
  
"I'm already there," the elemental mutant grinned.  
  
"Where are we going?" Shalimar asked as they all exited the Dojo.  
  
"Billy, the guy in the transmission, kept a lab in his garage when we were rangers. If I'm not mistaken, it looked like that was where he was in the transmission. I don't know if he'll have anything, or if the lab is even there after he was attacked, but it's the only place I know to look." Kim explained as the three parted with their teammates and headed towards the hangar bay.   
  
---Location Unknown, Time Unknown---  
  
The Shadow King walked into the cave occupied by three of his best Shades. As one they sank to the ground, heads bowed in respect, fear, and awe. The King, looked at the creatures that knelt before him. They were not human, though some may look it. Shades were the advanced form of Crawlers, the creatures that made up most of the assault force. Unlike Crawlers, however, Shades were specially trained in one particular thing. Most were warriors, trained to wield weapons and lead an attack. Some were for other purposes. One of the ones that knelt before him now was a tracker by the name of Crevan. Crevan had been the one responsible for finding all of the rangers. The Shadow Kind addressed him now,  
  
"Crevan, I have an assignment for you," he hissed, his voice low and cold.  
  
"Anything that my lord wishes," the tracker Shade replied without raising his cloaked head.  
  
"There is an item of great power that needs to be found. The Zeo Crystal is the only source of energy that the rangers have used, that has eluded me so far. I have new information regarding the matter now," with a wave of his hands, two Crawlers stepped out of the shadows holding an unconscious human man. "This man has information that might prove to be very useful. I want you to get it from him. He may be persuaded to join our side, if not, kill him. When you have the knowledge you need, begin the search," he waved his hand and the Crawlers began to move towards the exit still holding the man. "You are dismissed."   
  
"Yes, my King," Crevan rose and followed the Crawlers out. There was silence again. The Shadow King regarded the other to Shades before him. Braeden and Keir were warriors, trained to lead an army of Crawlers into battle.  
  
"I will need a distraction when the time comes to retrieve the Zeo Crystal. Another attack on the last ranger would be best. You will go when I give the signal. Have Crevan tell you where she is. This time," The King's voice dropped to a deadly whisper, "She will be captured or you will pay the consequences. Dismissed."   
  
"Yes, My King," the two intoned before beating a hasty retreat.   
  
"Soon," The Shadow King muttered when they were gone, "Soon."  
  
---Angelgrove, California, 12:15 pm, Sunday, October 3---   
  
"This is the house?" Brennan asked as they approached the comfy looking white building.  
  
"Yeah, this is it. It doesn't look like anyone's home," Kim muttered as she peered through the window."  
  
"There's not," Shalimar agreed, her feral senses confirmed her statement. She hopped off the porch and moved in front of the garage. With a quick glance up and down the street, she lifted the door. It slid up smoothly after the first initial tug and came back down just easily after they were all inside. With her sharpened eyesight she found the light switch and flipped it on. The sight that met them was total destruction.   
  
"Damn," Brennan whistled, "Those things sure did a number on this place."  
  
"I hope there's something here," Kim sighed as she began to pick through the debris that littered a table.   
  
"What exactly are we looking for?" the feral wanted to know as she too began to search through the rubble.  
  
"A disk, papers, notes, anything that may give us a clue as to what's going on," Kim replied. They continued in silence for a good twenty minutes before Brennan spoke,   
  
"Hey," The two girls turned to look at the elemental. He held up a notebook. The pages were torn and the writing was nearly illegible. Kim took it from him and began to flip through. It was mostly formulas and charts that she couldn't make heads or tails of. She was about to give up and just take the thing back to Jesse when a page caught her eye.   
  
"These creatures are known as Crawlers," Kim read out loud, "They are the army of the Shadow King. They remind me of the putties that we used to fight. They're the things responsible for the disappearance of the other rangers. I don't know exactly what the Shadow King wants with all of us but I do know he wants us out of the way for something. Something big." Kim stopped reading. The other two were looking at her expectantly.  
  
"Well," Shalimar demanded.  
  
"Well what? It ends. He must have stopped writing there," Kim responded.  
  
"Something big," Brennan mused, "Do you think he knew what that 'something big' was?"  
  
"I don't know. But if I know Billy, I'm sure he had some theories. Which," Kim added, "are probably in here." She held up the notebook. Brennan nodded and held out a disk.  
  
"This was next to it."  
  
"It's probably more research. We should get this stuff back to Jesse," the thermal looked around the room, "There's not much else we can do here." The other two nodded. Shalimar opened a comm link,  
  
"Jesse, you there?"  
  
"Yeah, what's up?"  
  
"We've got some notes on those creatures. Apparently they're called Crawlers. There's also a disk here but we don't know what's on it," Kim informed him.  
  
"Any luck with the samples?" Brennan asked.  
  
"No," That was Lexa, "Jesse's right. Whatever these things are made of, it's not found on Earth."  
  
"Hopefully these will shed some light on them then," Kim replied.  
  
"Hopefully," Jesse agreed, "I won't know until I have them though. You better get back here quickly. We don't know when those things, Crawlers, will attack again."  
  
"You mean if they attack again," Shalimar let the garage slam shut and the three mutants took off towards the Helix that they'd parked a block over in a soccer field. There wasn't anyone using the field at the time but that didn't mean that there wouldn't be now. The faster they left, the better.  
  
"No, I mean when. We've established that they want former rangers," Jesse continued, "I don't think that they're just going to give up after one try. Especially if Kim's the only one they need."  
  
"Point taken," the feral told him, "We'll be there shortly." With that she ended the link.  
  
"We should hurry," Brennan advised, "We don't want some kid running into the Helix."  
  
"It's not like they can see it," Kim pointed out. They had left the jet on stealth since it was parked in the middle of a neighborhood.  
  
"Do you really want people running around talking about a an invisible jet?" He asked, bemused.  
  
"Oh. Yeah, that could cause problems."   
  
"So could that," Shalimar gasped as she pointed ahead of them. There, standing in the middle of the street stood ten Crawlers and another creature. The other creature called out to them,  
  
"I am Braeden, Warrior Shade. Surrender now!"  
  
"I don't care if you're the Queen of England!" Kim snapped.  
  
"If you want Kim you'll have to go through us first," Brennan yelled. With a flick of his hand the electricity that had been building up was launched at the nearest Crawler. It fell to the ground, dazed. A second later it was up again, and very angry. It charged towards Brennan and this seemed to trigger the rest into action. Kim threw up her arms and froze them all.  
  
"Come on!" she said as she began to sprint up the street towards the Helix, the other two right beside her, "That won't hold them for long."   
  
It took half a minute longer for the Crawlers to through the freeze this time. Light weakened them. By the time they had, the mutants had already reached the relative safety of the Helix.  
  
"We can't leave them down there," Kim said, "They're in the middle of a neighborhood. Someone will get hurt."  
  
"Look," Shalimar pointed down as the Helix flew over the spots that they had just stood. The Crawlers and Shade were no where to be found.  
  
---Command Center Wreckage, Noon, Sunday, October 3---  
  
"It is here," Crevan the tracker Shade told the others. Among them included Keir, and his group of Crawlers. "It is buried somewhere amidst the rubble."  
  
"What are you waiting for?" Keir bellowed at the Crawlers, "Get to work!" In an instant they were tossing aside stones that once were part of the Power Rangers greatest defense. Crevan had gotten the information that he needed to track down the elusive Zeo Crystal. It was located where the Command Center/Power Chamber once stood. Somewhere, beneath the shattered stones lay the powerful crystal. He could feel it pulsing, just waiting to be released again. And it would too, if the King had a say in it. It would just be, slightly different. Suddenly, Crevan pointed to a Crawler directly to his left,  
  
"It's just under you. Get it," he commanded. He may not be a warrior, but he ranked just as high when it came to Crawlers. The creature scurried to obey. With the lifting of a final rock, the Zeo Crystal glowed brightly. The Crawler nearest to it let out a shriek and disappeared in a puff of smoke. The others backed up, keeping their distance. Crevan had no such qualms. He strode forward and placed a bag that he'd been carrying over the crystal. The light dimmed, and then went out. He picked up the bag, Zeo Crystal still in it, and turned to the others, "Let us get back to our King." And then, they were gone.  
  
---Location Unknown, Time Unknown---  
  
The Shadow King walked into the cavern and up to the gate that held the prisoners. He unlocked the door and motioned to the five Shades that were with him. Each walked in and grabbed a person amidst screams and struggling. Finally one after another, they exited the cage, victims tight in their grips. The rest of the prisoners could only watch helplessly as their friends were dragged off to who knows where. The Shadow King stepped forward,  
  
"Don't worry about your friends," he hissed, "You will see them again." He turned and walked towards the exit. When he got there he stopped, turning his head to look at them, "Although, you may not like what you see."  
  
End of Chapter 2  
  
Yes, the five rangers are ok. Physically anyways. As I'm sure most of you have guessed, they are to be turned evil. If there is a specific ranger you want to see evil then review and tell me. There will only be five. Three guys and two girls. It can be any ranger except, obviously, Kim. I don't care if they were evil before or not, but they do need to be someone I can work with. I have some people in mind already but I can be persuaded. Toodles! 


End file.
